Drug Rehabilitation in New York

New York is a famous state in the northeastern United States of America and is the fourth-most populous of them all. It also ranks as seventh among the most densely populated U.S. states. New York is bordered by the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south and Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont to the east. The state is also famous because it has a maritime border in the Atlantic Ocean. The state of New York, with an estimated and impressive 19.8 million residents in the year of 2015, is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from the city of New York City, (often referred to as New York), the state’s most populous city and its economic hub, too.

Famous for many reasons, New York has much to offer. For example, many landmarks in New York are well-known to both international and domestic visitors alike, with New York State hosting no less than four of the world’s ten most-visited tourist attractions like Times Square, Central Park, Niagara Falls (shared with Ontario), and Grand Central Terminal. New York is also home to the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of the United States and its ideals of freedom, democracy, and opportunity for all.

As a state, New York really jumped forward in recent years. For example, in the 21st century, New York began to emerge as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship, social tolerance, and environmental sustainability to name a few things it is now known for. New York’s higher education network comprises approximately no less than 200 colleges and universities, including Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, and Rockefeller University, which have been ranked among the top 35 in the entire world.

Also known for having a very strong economy, New York is one of the best economies in the nation. The gross state product in 2015 was an impressive $1.44 trillion. If New York State were an independent nation, it would rank as the 12th or 13th largest economy in the world, depending upon international currency fluctuations that occur daily. All in all, the state is very successful and well off, with more tradesmen and women and well-educated businessmen and women in this state compared to other states.

Drug and Alcohol Addiction on the Rise in New York

Sadly, as the economy has done well in New York, and considering the population of the state, drug and alcohol addiction has also become a concerning problem. Substance abuse is a real crisis indeed, one of which has no apparent end in sight.

Drug and alcohol addiction has always been a problem in this state, but in recent years the problem has gotten much worse. The state has experienced surges in different addiction areas, especially with opiates like heroin and prescription drugs. More and more people are now addicted to these substances, creating a difficult condition for those who live in this state, considering the fact that addiction affects far more people than just the ones who are actually abusing drugs and alcohol.

The Facts and Statistics on the Problem

In an attempt to learn more about the problem, and to really get to the bottom of it, certain organizations have gotten together to study and examine the problem and to really get a handle on it. For example, some of the facts and statistics regarding the problem are:

A strongly impacting substance abuse problem that has been creating a pretty severe effect not only in New York but all across the United States on Americans everywhere is the steadily increasing issue of prescription drug abuse. Studies show that the overall production, distribution, sale, and proliferation of pharmaceutical prescription drugs into the hands of the American populace increased by over a full 300% between the years of 2001 and 2005. This means that there are simply more of these drugs available.

What’s really insane about these issues and problems has been the fact that there are not that many people in the U.S. to justify the prescription drug abuse occurring here. The United States only makes up about four or five percent of the entire planet’s population but the nation consumes almost a full 80% of the world’s supply of prescription drugs. Truly, it is an overmedicated society, to say the least.

A substance abuse problem is measured by the number of people affected by it, and that is what shows the severity of the situation. In the United States, there are about 25 million Americans who are addicted to drugs or alcohol at this time. This might not seem like a huge number but considering the overall population of the country, it is actually quite concerning.

Per capita, about one out of every 13 Americans is addicted to drugs or alcohol, which certainly makes the issue a lot more disturbing than ever before. What this means is that statistically speaking every American has at some point in their lives crossed paths to some degree with an addict, about one out of every five Americans has had a close relation with an addict, and one out of every 10 Americans was in some way adversely affected by a drug or alcohol abuser.

Addressing Drug and Alcohol Addiction Rehabilitation

Without a doubt, drug and alcohol addiction has been an ongoing problem of the very worst kind for some time now. The best way to address it is with the help of an inpatient, residential, drug and alcohol addiction and dependence treatment center, detox facility, rehabilitation program, and recovery organization. The issue is a major one, but rehab centers like these can actually do something about it.

Addiction treatment centers help people in New York in three major ways:

Detoxification is the first step. This is the approach addresses the physical and chemical aspects of drug and alcohol addiction. Detox is helpful because it engages the person in an effective and useful approach that is quite effective.

Next s the rehabilitation itself, which is only done when the person has beaten chemical dependence in detox. In rehab, the individual will finally be able to focus on all of the various mental and psychological aspects and concepts of drug and alcohol addiction. This is the stage of the process that gives people in New York a full recovery from a mental and psychological standpoint.

After rehab, it is wise to enter an aftercare program which is an engaging and helpful outpatient approach. In aftercare, a recovering addict continues to work on his or her recovery and maintain his or her newfound sobriety. The aftercare program offers continuing guidance and support during this difficult time.

All in all, New York is faced with a massive problem, but it doesn’t have to be. This state and the people in it can find success and recovery from drug and alcohol addiction if they work hard and engage themselves in drug and alcohol addiction treatment.